Inaugural Walk to Wake the Silence raises $6,000 for JD Foundation

By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer

DOVER-FOXCROFT — A group 75 walked over three miles through the streets of Dover-Foxcroft on the morning of May 21 in the Abbot-based JD Foundation’s first Walk to Wake the Silence. Those taking part in the five kilometer walk and ceremonies raised nearly $6,000 for the nonprofit organization serving Maine through suicide prevention and anti-bullying education by providing holistic approaches and helpful tools to individuals who seek such support.

Observer photos/Stuart Hedstrom

WALKING TO WAKE THE SILENCE — Seventy five participants traveled through downtown Dover-Foxcroft in the JD Foundation’s inaugural five kilometer Walk to Wake the Silence on the morning of May 21. Nearly $6,000 was raised for the Abbot-based JD Foundation, which works on suicide prevention and anti-bullying education by providing holistic approaches and helpful tools to individuals who seek such support.

“We had 40 pre-register which is phenomenal for our first walk,” JD Foundation President Cheryl Morin said as participants gathered at the Piscataquis Regional YMCA, which hosted the event along with the foundation, before heading out. “It’s overwhelming, it’s emotional.”

“We have 75 registered already, that’s great for the first year,” Morin said shortly before the Walk to Wake the Silence opening ceremony.

The PRYMCA entrance featured posters promoting JD Foundation goals. “All of these were done by the Key Club in Dover-Foxcroft which I think is pretty awesome,” Morin said. She said a memory quilt was on display as was a tree painting in which walk participants could write the names of lost loved ones on a leaf to be attached to the artwork that will reside at the JD Foundation headquarters.

Walk to Wake the Silence Emcee Anthony Campbell — a long-time JD Foundation volunteer who raised $3,700 for the organization in December by running 55 miles from Brewer to Abbot on his 55th birthday — said those gathered on Saturday where there to honor individuals “who have touched our lives in different ways.”

“Suicide touches us all,” Campbell said. He encouraged those impacted to write the names of their loved ones on the leaves for the tree painting as well as to carry flowers with them as they walked the 3.1 miles. He said the leaves on the tree will be “going to the JD Foundation headquarters so that individual and that loved one is not forgotten.”

Morin then spoke, saying the idea for the walk came from Campbell’s exploits late last year. She said foundation officials felt if he could run 55 miles then others could walk five kilometers.

Morin said her life was changed forever in 2005 with the loss of her son William Jody Day — the JD in the foundation name. “I didn’t know there were actual warning signs and things that could have been done to help,” Morin said.

She said in the decade since she has worked to increase the public’s awareness of suicide and anti-bullying efforts. Morin said suicide is the second leading cause of death among ages 10-24 in Maine, repeating “age 10” to the audience. “We all do have an obligation to get educated and save a life,” she said, teaching students and adults alike about suicide prevention.

“Today let’s remember those we have lost and also remember we can get through it together,” Morin said.

“There’s one way to end suicides, you people being here today,” Campbell said. “Let’s talk about it, there’s no shame.”

Before the walkers left, Morin wanted to introduce them to 11-year-old Kholton Perry of Charleston. She said Perry raised over $400 for the Walk to Wake the Silence, and upon being giving a $50 prize for being the top fundraiser Perry opted to give the money back to the JD Foundation.

While Perry and other walk participants were on their excursion, Morin said Perry told her, “‘I want people to stop bullying and I want people to stop dying by suicide.” She said Perry said he has seen bullying and heard of people who have died., and she thinks it’s incredible what he has done.

Campbell, who is the ROTC instructor at Brewer High School, and his students were positioned along the Walk to Wake the Silence route — which followed the course of Foxcroft Academy’s annual Pony Pride Alumni Weekend 5K road race — to assist with street crossings. Morin said a water stop was located at the halfway point to those walking as the temperature climbed into the upper 70s.

Upon returning to the PRYMCA, participants moved behind the facility to the Kiwanis Park pond for the closing ceremony. Those with flowers could drop these in the stream as Campbell read the names of the their loved ones aloud.

“A lot of us consider water and streams life,” he said. “Life goes on and so do we.”

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

BIGGEST AND YOUNGEST FUNDRAISER — JD Foundation President Cheryl Morin introduces Kholton Perry, 11 of Charleston, who raised $400 for the JD Foundation’s Walk to Wake the Silence. Perry earned a $50 prize for his efforts, but he opted to give the money back to the JD Foundation. 

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

REMEMBERING THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN LOST — JD Foundation Vice President Victor Morin, left, with his daughter-in-law and son Kelly and Paul Morin drop flowers into the Kiwanis Park pond stream during the closing ceremonies of the Walk to Wake the Silence on May 21 in Dover-Foxcroft.